Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by adding a new Section 14-1632, entitled "Convention Center Expansion Area Special District Controls," under certain terms and conditions.

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1.

Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code is amended to read as follows:

TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING.

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CHAPTER 14-1600. MISCELLANEOUS.

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§ 14-1632. Convention Center Expansion Area Special District Controls.

(1) Legislative Findings. The Council finds that:

(a) Major public and private investments have been made and continue to be made in and around the Pennsylvania Convention Center to enhance visual aesthetics, preserve historic and cultural amenities, preserve and protect economic development potential, eradicate blighted conditions, prevent declining property values, encourage economic investment and tourism, and protect the economic vitality of this area of Philadelphia;

(b) Public expenditures have included appropriations for the construction and maintenance of the existing Pennsylvania Convention Center, for the restoration and maintenance of the historic Reading Terminal train shed, the historic Reading Terminal Market, and other historic buildings and features in the area; for improvement of vehicular access, street and sidewalk improvements, and for enhanced landscaping;

(c) Substantial private investment within and around the Pennsylvania Convention Center area includes the restoration, adaptive reuse, and reconstruction of numerous historic structures as well as new construction, thereby creating many employment opportunities and new residential units within the area;

(d) The Pennsylvania Convention Center is important to the economic vitality and diverse character of Philadelphia, has played a major role in establishing Philadelphia as a destination city in the convention and hospitality industry, helping the City to attract millions of visitors per year, and has greatly contributed to the renaissance in Center City Philadelphia among hotels, restaurants, retail stores and cultural institutions;

(e) Since it opened in 1993, the Pennsylvania Convention Center has helped to create countless new jobs, small businesses and tax revenue, generating an estimated annual economic impact in excess of $100,000,000 to the local economy;

(f) Changes in the national convention and hospitality industry, and increasing competition from other convention destination cities, require the Pennsylvania Convention Center to expand its facilities substantially to remain competitive;

(g) The Philadelphia City Planning Commission in 2002 recertified the area directly west of the existing Pennsylvania Convention Center (as described in Paragraph 3, below, the “Expansion District”) as a blighted area in need of redevelopment; and in its 2005 report on “Extending the Vision for North Broad Street”, the Planning Commission cited the proposed expansion of the Convention Center in this area as a key project in the larger redevelopment plan for this section of the City;

(h) In recognition of the Pennsylvania Convention Center’s need to expand its facilities to remain competitive, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has passed legislation authorizing major public funds for the acquisition and assembly of properties in the Expansion District and the construction of a Convention Center expansion, to be connected to the existing Convention Center by a bridge over 13th Street; and the Philadelphia City Council has passed Ordinances to facilitate this project by authorizing the vacation of certain public streets, the sale of a City-owned property in the Expansion District, and the erection of the bridge over 13th Street;

(i) Therefore, consistent with the larger redevelopment plans for this part of the City, special controls, provisions and standards are necessary to promote appropriate large scale development in the Expansion District, and to protect the historic, cultural, aesthetic, and economic vitality of the surrounding area of the City.

(2) Purpose of the District. This special district is established in order to preserve and encourage the revitalization of the section of the City in and around the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It is recognized that this section of the City is unique and has developed into a vital, mixed use district containing not only the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Reading Terminal Market, but many various retail, service, hospitality, entertainment, cultural and residential uses. This pattern contributes to the distinctive atmosphere of the area around the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Council recognizes the need to establish special land use and zoning controls to protect the investment in and foster the preservation and development of this section of the City in accordance with its special character, and to permit appropriate large scale development in the Expansion District.

(3) District Boundaries. For the purposes of this Section, the Pennsylvania Convention Center Expansion Area District regulations shall apply to all the properties within the area bounded as follows:

On the north, the south street line of Race Street; on the east, the westerly street line of Thirteenth Street; on the south, the north street line of Arch Street; and, on the west, the east street line of Broad Street (the “Expansion District”).

(4) Permitted Uses. Within the Expansion District and notwithstanding any other Chapter of this Title, properties may, in addition to any other use permitted in the underlying zoning classification, be used as a convention center, including exhibition halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms, kitchens, and/or accessory office and storage space and other Accessory Uses, with off-street loading and trash storage.

(5) Prohibited Uses. Within the Expansion District and notwithstanding any other Chapter of this Title, the following uses shall be prohibited:

(a) Any regulated use as listed under Zoning Code § 14-1605;

(b) Automobile repair shop;

(c) Automobile sales lot;

(d) Automobile service station for the retail sale of automobile fuels, lubricants, radiator fluids and accessories, and for the performance indoors of incidental service and minor repairs to automobiles, incidental car washing indoors;

(e) Bottling and/or distributing of liquids for human consumption;

(f) Installations of auto, motorcycle or truck parts;

(g) Restaurant which serves patrons who remain in their automobiles; restaurant, café or soda and ice cream fountain which dispenses food at retail through a window or aperture which opens onto the sidewalk or public arcade area;

(h) Retail sale of packaged beverages as a main use and the retail sale of malt beverages for take out as an accessory use;

(i) The following sales, separately or in any combination: automobile parts, truck parts, motorcycles and motorcycle parts.

(6) Area and Sign Controls for Large Scale Developments on Broad Street.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the applicable controls of the underlying zoning classification, including any zoning overlay, shall apply to any property within the Expansion District.

(b) Notwithstanding any other Chapter of this Title, buildings on lots with frontage on Broad Street occupying 50% or more of the total area of the block and having 50% or more of the street frontage shall, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Title, be permitted:

(.1) To recede at points from the street line of Broad Street for the purpose of creating Architectural Recesses and/or public plazas or drop-off areas, provided that the building meets the street line of Broad Street at at least one point;

(.2) From the ground level to a point 125 feet above the average ground level of the lot, to occupy one hundred percent (100%) of the lot;

(.3) To locate off-street loading spaces and trash compactors in an area that is not totally enclosed, provided that such area is located above the first floor of the building and obscured from direct street-level public view;

(.4) To erect a system of accessory signs, including building logo signs, directional signs, freestanding signs, and temporary signs, not to exceed a combined total of 15 square feet of sign area for each lineal foot of frontage along a public street line, provided that the size, type, number and location of such signs are approved by the Art Commission.

(7) Conflicting Regulations. When the provisions of this Section conflict with other provisions of this Title, the provisions of this Section shall control.

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Explanation:

Italics

indicate new matter added.

End